The Death And Kesurrection Shob

Returning with their first new album in over two decades, it would seem THE OBSESSED are in a good place right now – but it’s been anything but an easy road getting here. SCOTT ‘WINO ‘ WEIN RICH tells us all about the tumultuous line-up changes, drug busts, sacrifices made to art and, erm, Tesla wands…

THE OBSESSED

Words: Ross Baker

On the cusp of releasing their first album in 23 years, Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich has already seen a revolving door of musicians passing through The Obsessed before ‘Sacred’ has even hit the record store racks. First came the departure of Wino’s Spirit Caravan colleague and Earthride mainman, bassist Dave Sherman, with Deadbird/ ex-Rwake four-stringer Reid Raley replacing him, before The Hidden Hand’s Bruce Falkinburg replaced him, and Wino’s partner Sara ‘Seraphim’ Claudius joined on guitar to bolster the unit to a quartet. In the two months since this announcement, both Bruce and Sara have departed the group with Reid picking up the bass spot once again. Considering all the to-ing and fro-ing involved, you could be forgiven for thinking the good natured Wino might be difficult to work with, but while he may reel off a million words a minute, you couldn’t wish for a more funny, engaging and sincere character. So buckle up, it’s going to be intense…

“We were not 100 per cent prepared when we got our deal with Relapse but we had the skeleton of what would be ‘Sacred’ and decided to go for it,” he begins. “Pretty soon it was apparent that it wouldn’t work out with Sherm. So after we finished the record, we decided to try out being a four-piece with my girlfriend Sara on second guitar and Bruce on bass. It worked live but when it came to talk about touring and serious commitment, we knew it wasn’t going to work. I called my friend Reid Raley who was the guy who played with us on the 2009 Maryland Deathfest. So we are back as a threepiece because Bruce and Sara couldn’t commit to touring.”

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I bloody love The Obsessed’s new album – it’s packed with grooves and riffs and isn’t one-dimensional in the slightest. I recall getting psyched when Relapse announced they had signed the band and since the news landed, plotting with the label about putting Wino and his band on the cover. It seems like aeons since they recorded the album last summer, but as Wino explains in our cover feature, a lot has been going on since that recording session. Go and read all about it now! And if you haven’t heard the album, please go check it out – it’s well worth the twenty-plus year wait since ‘The Church Within’. I always remember Wino and co. sticking out like a sore thumb when I saw them in Nottingham’s Rock City opening for Prong and Life Of Agony in support of that album – a sea of audience confusion greeted them, but the drive and honesty that oozed from the trio that night had a long-lasting impression on me, and I cannot wait to see them on our shores again soon, I hope.
So, as always enjoy the issue in your hands. Every month Kez and the writing crew pour blood, sweat and tears into the issue to make it the best we can. It’s tough times out there, we have no crowd-funding hype machines behind us, just passion, belief and, frankly, stubbornness. And of course, enjoyment in the music.
Take care and see you next month!
Adios
Darren Sadler